35 - The Proposal: The chapter we will NEVER see
by Veravine
Summary: A sample chapter of #35 I wrote a month or two before it came out. Relax, no spoilers.


THE CHAPTER WE WILL NEVER SEE....

__

A rumor that flew around about #35 was that Marco's dad and Rachel's mom were going to get married. (I will not say what happened for the sake of the poor souls who may not yet have had the chance to read #35.) Now, all I, personally, had heard officially was that Marco's dad started dating again - no mention of Rachel's mom. But, going on that idea, I had a brainstorm for a chapter I would LOVE to see in Animorphs but, alas, know shall never happen. (Cringes at the possible spoiler, but decides it isn't worth cringing over, since everybody knows this isn't going to happen anyway. Or, that if it, impossibly, somehow, does, that I'll probably be suing Scholastic....) 

Heh heh, just kidding. Just sit back and enjoy.

Sample Chapter from a non-existent Animorphs #35 - The Proposal

RACHEL

I tugged at the shoulder of the dress as Cassie zipped me up. I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror. Half an hour to go. Just half and hour, and it was all over. Half an hour, and the nightmare would have come and gone. Then the whole new life would begin.

It wasn't the wedding I was worried about.

It was the walk up the aisle. And I don't mean my mother's.

I meant mine.

"It's still tight on the shoulders," I mumbled.

"You're just nervous," Cassie chided me. "Loosen up, and it won't be."

"Yeah, I'm nervous. I'm afraid Jordan's going to trip me. I swear, you should have _seen_ that look she gave me when Mom said I was going to be the maid of honor."

"She's not happy being a bride's maid? You'd think she'd be happy that your mom agreed to make her a bride's maid and not just a flower girl with Sarah."

I shrugged. "I don't know what her problem is. Yay, I get to walk down the aisle just before Mom does, escorted by a guy instead of tossing flower petals on the floor." I shuddered. "Jeez, I guess I _am_ nervous."

"No, I wouldn't call that a nervous shudder." Cassie giggled. "I think it's the idea of walking down the aisle with the best man that's got you worried."

I shuddered again. "You're right. I don't want to. No way. That's it. Unzip me Cass, strip down, you're going in my place."

In the mirror, I watched Cassie's reflection go pale. Then she laughed. "You think it's not torture enough in these _shoes_?" She put a white-shoed foot forward. It was, of course, one of the pair of inch-heeled shoes we'd gotten last week. "I lost feeling in my toes the minute I put them on. I can't believe I let you talk me into these."

"You needed something without goose guano. Sorry, Cass, but at my mom's wedding, you are _not_ wearing overalls, and that is _final_!"

She laughed. "These shoes are torture enough without trying to squeeze _me_ into your _custom-fit_ dress." She smiled at me. "You'll do fine."

"I'm more worried about the man of honor."

Cassie giggled. "I'm not so worried about him. But Jake and I'll be watching _very_ closely." Then her expression became almost sly. "But I'm sure _Tobias_ will be watching even _more_ closely."

"Oh, shut up." She grinned. "Just for that, I'm going to tell Mom to chuck the bouquet straight at you, and I'm going to give you and Jake hints through the _entire_ reception."

Cassie's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

"Make another crack about me and Marco, and just you watch."

*

Twenty minutes later, we were lined up and ready. All we needed was the music cue.

Cassie was sitting in the second row, along with my Mom's side of the family. Cassie had special permission, because her parents and my mom get along so well. Tobias and Ax (both of whom I'd watched go nonchalantly into the bathroom, one at a time, and come out again within the last ten minutes) were farther back, along with some of my other friends and some of Jordan's. Tobias, in a pair of Jake's khakis and a lightweight sweater along with Marco's normal dress shoes, was quietly getting two of Jordan's friends to quit giving each other dead-arms. Ax, dressed in Jake's normal suit, was staring around the church in such utter fascination, his jaw would probably have been hanging down if he hadn't promised not to open his mouth at any time while in hearing distance of my relatives. Jake and Marco leaned against the wall, out of line. Jake was one of the lesser men of honor, whatever they're called - the guys that lead the bridesmaids down the aisle. Marco had convinced his dad to let Jake in on it, and that was how Jake had ended up back here, with the bridal party, waiting for his turn to lead a girl down the aisle. "Hope Cassie doesn't get too jealous," I heard Marco joke.

"Get real," Jake replied. "Don't you remember the rehearsal? Oh, yeah, you missed it. Real smart of you."

"I was busy. Who's the lucky gal?"

"Jordan."

I didn't get to the count of two before Marco was suppressing his snickers. "You're leading your _cousin_?"

"Remember who _you're_ with, Marco." I turned to look at them, making sure Marco didn't make any gestures I couldn't hear.

"_You're_ leading your cousin."

Jake gave him a slight punch that didn't wrinkle either of their tuxedos. "So aren't you, best man, so shut up," he grinned. "Come on, we gotta get back in line."

It was then that the music started.

It wasn't the bridal march; that would come when Mom finally appeared from the limo. It was a nice melody, though, gentle and strong at the same time. It sounded... hopeful, somehow. Then I realized - it was Amazing Grace, played a little slower than normal.

From the room at the side of the altar, Marco's dad walked out. He looked handsome in his tuxedo, so much younger than he had for so long after Marco's mom "died". So much more alive. So much happier. He was followed by Father Anderson and two kids, a boy about ten years old, a girl probably a year younger than me, in altar server uniforms. (Our church used to have "altarboys" until some rule was changed to let girls serve, too, so the new term for them is "alter server".)

The bridesmaids and their escorts started down the aisle, Jake and Jordan leading as the shortest ones. Jake was trying to match Jordan's pace, but Jordan didn't want to be escorted - she'd made that clear in the rehearsal. The relatives "ooh'ed" and "ahh'ed" at "how handsome Jake looks!" and "what a little lady Jordan is!" and "how much they've grown!" and all that, but those who knew to watch also knew how much they jerked and jolted down the aisle, and how many times Jordan "accidentally" stepped on Jake's toes.

They were followed by Jake's mom and dad, and then Aunt Pat and Dad, and, finally, Greta and Joe.

Then it was time.

The maid of honor and best man's turn.

Marco offered me his arm. I took it, just as we'd practiced in his backyard. "Well, this is finally it," Marco whispered. "You, me, wedding aisle. Face it, Rachel, this is a dream come true for you."

I looked at him and his teasing grin. "Shut up before I give you a sisterly black eye, bro," I whispered in return.

"Gotcha." He winked, I smiled, and we made our way down the aisle without a problem. We gave each other the customary light kisses on the cheek as we separated to stand in our assigned places. "Later, sis," he whispered in my ear, then went to stand next to his - our... my step-dad.

I tried not to stare at him as I took my place on the alter, too, right next to where my Mom would say her vows a second time, where she would get re-married. Where Marco and I would end up being related and have to baby-sit my sisters together for a whole week.

I wasn't sure what it was that made me want to cry: the idea of my mom getting re-married; the idea of having a stepfather; or the idea of having to spend a week with Marco and my sisters.

It was then that the wedding march started, and I shoved those thoughts aside.

My mom was going to be happy. That was what mattered.

But why did _that_ make me want to cry, too?


End file.
